Within the Waiting Heart
by meemz263
Summary: What if Kanna had stolen all of Kagome's soul? Would things have tunred out the same between the friends?
1. Without life

Miroku ran further into the house to find Sango, Shippou and Kagome. Inuyasha had used himself as a distraction so Miroku could do this. It was his job to save the girls and the kitsune. Inuyasha was keeping Kagura oppupied. His heart and determination shot up as he found Koharu (A/N= deepest apologies if it's not her name... it's a blond guess, so go from there) still breathing. His heart had been preoccupied with his traveling companions that he had momentarily forgotten her. After waiting a few seconds she woke up and clung to him calling his name over and over again in a soft whisper.

"It's alright Koharu, I'm here" he muttered into her hair, trying his best to calm her. Only stopping his reassurence as he felt the pressure of a blade to his skin.

"KOHARU?!?!" Miroku screamed as he faught with her over the balde, knocking her out in the proccess.

Miroku gently laid her down on the mat and looked forword into the dark shadows of the house that he ws assured that led to Sango and the others. _"Please let her be safe... please..." _

He burst into another room to be confronted with a sight he thought grueling and wrenching at the same time. Sango lay unconcience and Shippou was shaking Kagome, trying to stir her from her slumber. "Kagome, please wake up, please don't go now!" Shippou yelled into deaf ears. Miroku walked over and felt for a pusle, finding one stopped the crease in his brow from going any further. It didn't however stop it completly for Kagome was cold to the touch and her eyes vaccant. "Shippou... what happened to her?" Miroku whispered as if trying not to wake her. "A... an.. evil white demon... sh... she had this mirror... and Sango's weapon bounced off it... and then... and then... she was hit with it... then she sucked out Kagome's... her..." Shippou started bawling full out at this point. Miroku went over to Sango and checked her out(litterly). "Shippou, please tell me what the demon stole from Kagome so I can aid her."

Shippou looked up at the ceiling, away from Kagome's form and whispered softly; "her soul." Miroku's jaw bit down, unnfortunetly on his tounge, and he did a double take at Kagome. "The white demon sucked out Kagome's soul threw a mirror?" He asked, again in disbelief. "YES!" shouted Shippou as he jumped up, fists raised as if for a fight with Miroku. "That girl stole Kagome's soul and I couldn't do ANYTHING!" Shippou collasped onto his knees and pounded into the floor with clenched fists. "I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AS ALWAYS! I'M USELESS!"

Miroku put his hand to his chin and did nothing himself to stop him. How could he try and comfort Shippou when a much larger battle was occuring with Inu... oh no. "Shippou, if you want to help Kagome, we must save Inuyasha! You must go and tell him not to use the windscar or the white demon will bounce his attack back! Go Shippou, you must GO!"

Shippou didn't need to be told twice, only blinking and nodding before taking off as fast as possible. He ran through the corridores and came to the entrence in record time. Running out the courtyard and into the middle of the battle. Kirara and Inuyasha were standing back to back attacking the humans under Kagura's control as Inuyasha threw random remarks at the wind sorceress. "You think your so tough huh? Hiding just like your master while others do your dirty work? Well I'll show you!" Inuyasha spred his legs and took up a stance that Shippou feared.

"Windsca--"

"Inuyasah NOOO!!!!! Don't do it! Kagome needs you! We can't have you DIE on us you dumb MUTT!" Shippou ran to Inuyasha screaming. Inuyasha stopped and looked at Shippou with both anger and worry in his eyes. "What did you say squirt?"

'MUAHAHHAHAHAHA!!! came a cold voice. "Master..." said Kagura as she bowed and stepped back as Naraku stepped forword from the darkness. "It seems I have finally found something of greater interest then the jewel, good job Kanna." The small child decked in white appeared and handed Naraku a mirror. Shippou pointed to it and tugged on Inuyasha's ears getting a growl and his attention. "Thats the thing that she used to suck Kagome's soul out with! You must'nt attack it, or your attack will bouce back and hit you with it's full force!"

"Damn bastard... sucked out Kagome's soul huh?" Inuyasha tried to stay his gruff self but his eyes kept wondering to the castle that he knew Kagome was in. _"I though her smell changed... without a soul... she's as good as dead."_ Shippou was still sitting on Inuyasha's shoulder shaking. "How could something so small take something as important and big as Kagome's soul?" Shippou asked but it wasn't Inuyasha that answered him.

"This effort to take the girl's soul wouldn't have worked if part of it wasn't already missing, you do realize that Inuyasha?" Naraku mused to the hanyou. He tilted his head to the side and lifted an eyebrow to Inuyasha. "Wadda ya talking about?" Inuyasha yelled. "Don't you see Inuyasha? If you could have just brought yourself to kill the clay image of Kikyo, the whole soul would have been intact and interably to big to steal!" Inuyasha's eyes grew wide and he bit down on his lip. Shippou looked at Naraku with disbelief trying to find something to say. He looked at Inuyasha to say something a couple of times but Inuyasha's eyes were filled with something Shippou was just to young to place.

"This is far to amusing to spoil, for now Inuyasha, farewell... " Naraku took his two incarnations and the trio backed into the darkness that had consumed the sky. Inuyasha sheathed the tetsauga and turned back towards the castle, his hair covering his eyes to Shippou. They stayed in silence as Inuyasah made his way through the building, only stopping so Shippou could point when they got to an intersection.

Miroku had Sango propped up agaist Kirara and he was tending to Kagome. Shippou jumped from Inuyasha's shoulder and walked up to Kagome while Inuyasha stood at the door. Miroku turned Kagome over from her stomache onto her back. Her eyes stared into nothing and a small moan came from her lips as she was touched. Inuyasha fell onto the floor and put his head into his hands crying for his friend.

Shippou felt himself harden to feeling sympothy for Inuyasha. His eyes held tears back as he walked over to Inuyasha and kicked him in the shin. Inuyasha looked up and glared at Shippou in disbelief. "Why are you so sad Inuyasha? She's just like Kikyo now. Except insted of having a soul stolen from someone else, she has had her soul stolen."Shippou's fists shook as he grasped his thumbs to his palms. "Isn't she the same now? Isn't she?"

Miroku stood up and walked over to shippou, putting a hand on his shoulder. "His point is valid Inuyasha. Thou I don't know what happened outside, I can assure you that her soul is indeed gone. She is nothing but an empty shell. In the same she is like Kikyo, for she is nothing but clay, ashes and a small part of Kagome's soul. But Now she is more. Will your scale for them change now that Kikyo has an upperhand and advantage?"

Inuyasha glared at both Shippou and Miroku. How did he feel for this. "It doesn't matter, we'll just go kill the damned demon and get Kagome's soul back, right?" He walked past the monk and kitsune and picked up Kagome. "I'll take care of her until then, you just tend to Sango" Inuyasha ran from the house clutching Kagome to himself. She was so cold... so empty.

Shippou went to follow them but Miroku wouldn't let him. He picked up Shippou and placed him on Kirara's back. He carried Sango outside himself and then placed her on the cat demon's back before looking around one last time. "Shippou, please go with Kirara and Sango back to Kaede's village. I need to bury the dead and preform last rights. "Then I can stay and help you!" Shippou begged, making to hop down from Kirara's back. "No Shippou, you may not. Besides, I need someone I can trust to aid Kirara in case of danger. I will see you at the end of the day tomorrow, please?" Shippou took in the monks words and knodded.

"But how are these people dead? they're just missing their souls?" He asked, trying to get an insite on Miroku's line of thinking. "Without a soul these bodies will rot and decay. There will be nothing for the souls to return to if I preform final rights. If I neglect this duty, and meerly put the bodies somewhere safe, when the souls return, the bodies will be dead themselves. and the people will become the walking dead, lingering spirits... and I do not wish that fate on anyone Shippou. I think moving on to the afterworld is a personl benifit for these people." Miroku said and smiled, bowing his head to Kirara as a signal to leave.

"But Miroku?!?? If this is true then won't the same fate happen to Kagome?" Shippou yelled as Kirara flew into the sky. "Miroku?" Still nothing, but a smile from the monk. Shippou's eyes widened and his throat clenched. "MIROKU!??!?!!?"

But nothing was said from the monk, and nothing was seen but the usual smile to fool the untrained eye.


	2. Without Hope

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: No I don't own Inuyasha cause if I did I would have killed Kikyo off years ago…

Miroku spent three hours doing what he set out too. He buried the children, the women and the men. Young and old all laid side by side in six rows marked only with wooden crosses fastened out of sticks. The mounds were covered with rocks and some flowers were laid out on the women's graves. For the children, Miroku only made the distinction with the smaller mounds. Then whole thing disgusted him. How could such a thing happen for no reason? The ways of the demons always seemed cruel to him but why would he question something with no answer. He took his time with Koharu, making sure to say an extra prayer for her soul. Nothing should have come to this. Slaughter and murder was truly unnecessary.

Walking back to Kaede's village was something that he wished he could avoid. Slowly Miroku made his pace in the twilight hours, eyes on the ground ahead of his feet only. Some might thing this the stance of the normal, thoughtful monk. But this was different. The gleam in his eyes was vacant and only the steady blinking gave way to his life. It seemed upon his arrival that things weren't any better.

The people of the village all seemed to be gathered around Kaede's hut, trying to peak inside. Inside a faint light could be seen from the window but that was all. The blinds had been drawn and the door flap shut. The villagers parted for Miroku and he gave nods of thanks towards the villagers. Pushing the flap open he had a stream of glares sent at him for a moment before the gangs eyes turned soft. "I presume the burial of the dead went well? Sorry for leaving you to it alone."

Sango's voice was soft from the corner where she sat propped up by her elbows. She was beautiful as ever, even when she was sad, thought Miroku. His eyes searched the room and saw Inuyasha propped against one wall with his father's fang on his lap, Shippou on his shoulder, and Kaede bending over a lump wrapped in blankets.

"Why didn't you answer me Miroku?" Sango pressured, looking at him. Her tone took him aback and he glanced to the floor. Inuyasha looked up surprised and so did Kaede. Shippou looked at him with something different from wanting to know the truth. His eyes demanded a better explanation for before.

"I didn't bury the dead Sango." Her gasp was his only indication that he had in truth spoken. "Wadda ya mean you didn't bury the dead, that's why you stayed behind retard!"

Miroku felt his eyes close and open slowly to face the half-breed dog demon. Anger laced his vision as he took in a breath. "No one was actually dead. I merely stopped them from coming."

"I-I don't understand Miroku, how is that any different from burring the dead?" Inuyasha asked.

"That's why you're different from me Inuyasha. You understand nothing of the souls of mortals. Leave me be but let yourself be warned, I will return later for Kagome and I will not let her suffer any longer then necessary." Miroku stormed out and left several villagers stunned and more surprised. Inuyasha, Sango and Shippou didn't know what was the reason for his haste and harsh words so they looked to Kaede.

"Ye may not be quick to judge the actions of ye fellow companion. His words come from his training as a monk and ye know not of what that entails. The art of the soul is something ye never must become familiar with unless it is needed to ye." Kaede looked around at them and saw that they weren't letting her off the hook that easily. "Fine I shall tell ye but don't send ye glares at me." Kaede turned from tucking Kagome in with a blanket to face the fire and the three.

"What the monk meant is he must come to claim the body of Kagome and bury her." Inuyasha looked to object but Kaede held up a hand to silence him. "Ye must wait, Inuyasha till I am done speaking to fully understand. The body and soul together make a person. When one dies the soul leaves the body and the body has no choice to decompose so the soul can safely pass on. Without a soul the body dies. Kagome has no soul… her body has already started the process of breaking down itself so it can return to the earth. If her soul were to return after this has began then she would become the living dead, a zombie. That fate would be worst then death. Miroku's words mean that he won't let that happen to her."

There was nothing for Shippou to do but cry. Cry for Kagome and cry for what Miroku had to do.


End file.
